How about we all take a deep breath and put today's debacle in the rear view mirror. The bright spot today was the work of Doubront. This kid has good stuff. And what I really like is that he knows how to pitch. He changes speed very well , which makes a 93 mph fastball seem faster than that. He has an excellent curve ball. He sets hitters up , moves the ball in and out , up and down. Really had the hitters guessing. The only thing he needs is to learn to be a bit more economical with his pitches. Keep his pitch count down and go deeper in the game. I think that will come. We could have a very nice lefty in the rotation for years to come. I will also say that I like what I see of Tazawa. Hopefully , the collection of mediocre veterans will soon be gone , and we will see a nice group of young, hungry players to go along with our core talent base. Today was a fiasco , but it is still just one game.

How about we all take a deep breath and put today's debacle in the rear view mirror. The bright spot today was the work of Doubront. This kid has good stuff. And what I really like is that he knows how to pitch. He changes speed very well , which makes a 93 mph fastball seem faster than that. He has an excellent curve ball. He sets hitters up , moves the ball in and out , up and down. Really had the hitters guessing. The only thing he needs is to learn to be a bit more economical with his pitches. Keep his pitch count down and go deeper in the game. I think that will come. We could have a very nice lefty in the rotation for years to come. I will also say that I like what I see of Tazawa. Hopefully , the collection of mediocre veterans will soon be gone , and we will see a nice group of young, hungry players to go along with our core talent base. Today was a fiasco , but it is still just one game. Posted by dgalehouse

Voice of reason, as usual, gale. I agree. The fact it was the Yankees, made it worse. Doubrant looked great. We've found a starter and home grown at that. good news for the future.

How about we all take a deep breath and put today's debacle in the rear view mirror. The bright spot today was the work of Doubront. This kid has good stuff. And what I really like is that he knows how to pitch. He changes speed very well , which makes a 93 mph fastball seem faster than that. He has an excellent curve ball. He sets hitters up , moves the ball in and out , up and down. Really had the hitters guessing. The only thing he needs is to learn to be a bit more economical with his pitches. Keep his pitch count down and go deeper in the game. I think that will come. We could have a very nice lefty in the rotation for years to come. I will also say that I like what I see of Tazawa. Hopefully , the collection of mediocre veterans will soon be gone , and we will see a nice group of young, hungry players to go along with our core talent base. Today was a fiasco , but it is still just one game. Posted by dgalehouse

I've been saying the same thing about Doubront since spring training. I wish there were some way Lester could get over his April yips. Beckett was solid last time out too. I still can't believe how the bullpen melted down today. Everyone Bobby used were guys who had been getting people out. Padilla I can kind of understand because he's a feel pitcher and he hasn't pitched in a while. He needs to pitch more often I think. I have no idea what happened to Ace. All I can think of is these guys all need to pitch inside more often. Hitters are just looking way too comfortable at the plate against them.

El Chato looks great. However his career highs in seasonal innings pitched range around 120-130 , tops. And that's going back to 2009 and before.So the Sox need to be very careful with his arm, especially given his recent health issues.

How about we all take a deep breath and put today's debacle in the rear view mirror. The bright spot today was the work of Doubront. This kid has good stuff. And what I really like is that he knows how to pitch. He changes speed very well , which makes a 93 mph fastball seem faster than that. He has an excellent curve ball. He sets hitters up , moves the ball in and out , up and down. Really had the hitters guessing. The only thing he needs is to learn to be a bit more economical with his pitches. Keep his pitch count down and go deeper in the game. I think that will come. We could have a very nice lefty in the rotation for years to come. I will also say that I like what I see of Tazawa. Hopefully , the collection of mediocre veterans will soon be gone , and we will see a nice group of young, hungry players to go along with our core talent base. Today was a fiasco , but it is still just one game. Posted by dgalehouse

Good post. Agree on all accounts, except I thought I saw FD hit 96 on thegun today.

El Chato looks great. However his career highs in seasonal innings pitched range around 120-130 , tops. And that's going back to 2009 and before. So the Sox need to be very careful with his arm, especially given his recent health issues.Posted by jimedfred

Didn't his recent health issues have more to do with his weight than any thing else?

In Response to Felix The Cat : I've been saying the same thing about Doubront since spring training. I wish there were some way Lester could get over his April yips. Beckett was solid last time out too. I still can't believe how the bullpen melted down today. Everyone Bobby used were guys who had been getting people out. Padilla I can kind of understand because he's a feel pitcher and he hasn't pitched in a while. He needs to pitch more often I think. I have no idea what happened to Ace. All I can think of is these guys all need to pitch inside more often. Hitters are just looking way too comfortable at the plate against them.Posted by carnie

Nice to see you carnie. Most recent news is Linares soft sprain in ankle last night, should be okay soon.Didn't play today though.Regarding this afternoon's choke / vomit - inducing debacle, I'm finding a LOT of cold single malt Laphroiag and a back rub from my sweetie is sure helping.

I'm ready , unless there's a MAJOR change in the next 5 weeks ( by June1 ) to blow up this team and play the kids. I mean trade anyone / anything of value over the age of 30, bring up the kids. Problem is player values not at a real peak except for Pedroia , who I'd keep forever.

He actually reminds me a lot of Lester when he first came through. He had similar stuff but struggled to get through 5-6 innings. That will come when he gets more confidence in his stuff and challenges hitters more.

I also agree on Tazawa. He is kind of a forgotten guy since his injury, but he looks like he is back on track. Adding Hill soon is also going to help.

As it is the Sox just need to whether the storm and hang around. Luckily the Yanks and Rays are not exactly running away. The Sox look to have Dice coming back before too long, and that will undoubtedly put Bard back to the pen, if it doesn't happen sooner.

If you have a pen of Bard, Tazawa, Hill, Morales, Aceves, etc. pitching in spots they should be pitching it is a much better pen. I would also like to see Germano and Duckworth get a shot. What can it hurt right now?

In all reality I think the Sox really need to look at marketing Youk and Beckett right now. Their stock is not exactly sky high, but they would have value on the market.

In Response to Felix The Cat : I've been saying the same thing about Doubront since spring training. I wish there were some way Lester could get over his April yips. Beckett was solid last time out too. I still can't believe how the bullpen melted down today. Everyone Bobby used were guys who had been getting people out. Padilla I can kind of understand because he's a feel pitcher and he hasn't pitched in a while. He needs to pitch more often I think. I have no idea what happened to Ace. All I can think of is these guys all need to pitch inside more often. Hitters are just looking way too comfortable at the plate against them.Posted by carnie

Carnie, Lesters first two starts were better than good. just think it was one of those starts every pitcher has. When Lesters on, he's great, when hes not, he pitches like he did his last start.

Nice to see you carnie. Most recent news is Linares soft sprain in ankle last night, should be okay soon.Didn't play today though. Regarding this afternoon's choke / vomit - inducing debacle, I'm finding a LOT of cold single malt Laphroiag and a back rub from my sweetie is sure helping. I'm ready , unless there's a MAJOR change in the next 5 weeks ( by June1 ) to blow up this team and play the kids. I mean trade anyone / anything of value over the age of 30, bring up the kids. Problem is player values not at a real peak except for Pedroia , who I'd keep forever.Posted by jimedfred

I'm more given to a couple of pints of Anchor Steam after a game like today's. As for blowing the team up,I'd play Middlebrooks and Lavarnaway right now, and call up Cook while I was I was at it. I just checked the PawSox web site and Cook has a 2.27 era, Middlebrooks ops is at 1.244 while Ryan's is .916. I think those three are ready now. I'd get whatever I could for Salty and send Youk on a rehab assignment. Good to hear that Linares won't be out long. We could use him in Boston too IMO. This kid Middlebrooks keeps getting better every time he goes up a level, I'd like to see what he can do in the bigs.

In Response to Re: Felix The Cat : Carnie, Lester first two starts were more than good. just think it was one of those starts every pitcher has. When Lesters on, he's great, when hes not, he pitches like he did his last start. Posted by J-BAY

I do know that. It's just that his last start had me thinking about his other Aprils in a Red Sox uni. Guilty of hyperbole, sorry.

How about we all take a deep breath and put today's debacle in the rear view mirror. The bright spot today was the work of Doubront. This kid has good stuff. And what I really like is that he knows how to pitch. He changes speed very well , which makes a 93 mph fastball seem faster than that. He has an excellent curve ball. He sets hitters up , moves the ball in and out , up and down. Really had the hitters guessing. The only thing he needs is to learn to be a bit more economical with his pitches. Keep his pitch count down and go deeper in the game. I think that will come. We could have a very nice lefty in the rotation for years to come. I will also say that I like what I see of Tazawa. Hopefully , the collection of mediocre veterans will soon be gone , and we will see a nice group of young, hungry players to go along with our core talent base. Today was a fiasco , but it is still just one game. Posted by dgalehouse

A good looking young pitcher, who's only bound to get better. And, he was removed today at the right time, no matter what the naysayers are spewing.

In Response to Felix The Cat : A good looking young pitcher, who's only bound to get better. And, he was removed today at the right time, no matter what the naysayers are spewing.Posted by nhsteven

I agree. I think Valentine was right in taking him out. No need to have him throw 120 or so pitches in a game that seemed to be a blowout , especially this early in the season. Obviously , we have problems with the pen, but no one could have forseen an implosion of this magnitude.

I'm sure Valentine was cringing when taking Felix out, but he did the right thing. I love how everyone is panicking and blaming this very short season failure on Valentine. I don't believe he had much to do with building this bullpen. He isn't bringing in the WRONG guy - no such thing as the WRONG guy with this pen. It's also not Valentine's fault that Youk looks like Mark Bellhorn. Or, Bailey getting hurt, Melancon losing it, Ells getting hurt, Crawford getting hurt, etc.

I'm sure Valentine was cringing when taking Felix out, but he did the right thing. I love how everyone is panicking and blaming this very short season failure on Valentine. I don't believe he had much to do with building this bullpen. He isn't bringing in the WRONG guy - no such thing as the WRONG guy with this pen. It's also not Valentine's fault that Youk looks like Mark Bellhorn. Or, Bailey getting hurt, Melancon losing it, Ells getting hurt, Crawford getting hurt, etc. Valentine was brought into a no win situation.Posted by IowaSoxFan

I don't disagree with taking Doubront out in terms of baseball. But if you are Valentine and you know your bullpen stinks and is unpredictable you need to get a win at all costs. Maybe you would let this young kid Doubront pitch beyond the seventh and see what happens keeping a close eye. This was a game that the team needed. The sky has fallen for now.

The mindset went today from bad to disaster. It could turn but there is no evidence it can or will. The roster is in chaos and we all know now this team is like it was in September it was not just out of shape starters it is the whole team and management.